Mareel - Cinema & Music Venue

[Guest Anonymous]

Cancel Mareel. Thomas Fraser just needed a reel to reel tape recorder

Bear in mind that reel to reel recording and the techniques Thomas Fraser employed to great effect (such as sound on sound overdubs) were pioneering at the time, and he embraced technology. Additionally, Karl Simpson used modern restorative and mastering technology to prepare the recordings for release, some of which Karl had previously believed were 'virtually unusable'. So it's not 'just' a reel to reel in terms of the 4 Thomas Fraser CDs.

Both the use of the technology which existed when the recordings were made, and the technology used in their production to CD are without a doubt remarkable, however much of the restorative technology used was most likely to overcome degradation of the recording media through time, and not any attempt to make it sound better than it actually was when recorded.

These days we are all able, with our little PC's to enhance recordings, whether they be audio or visual, and with enough SIC money thrown at technology, I'm sure that Shetland can produce some good homegrown recordings. But I'd prefer to see recordings which didn't use technology too much, and relied on the original quality of the artist.

Whilst some people apparently think that Shetland musicians should still be recording in their bathrooms on reel to reel tape recorders, things have moved on greatly since then, particularly in terms of equipment and the expectations of the market. It's very different to record a live band, produce electronic music or work with mulimedia than it is to record a vocal with acoustic guitar.

Agreed. The bigger the band the bigger the problems, but.. KT Tunstall managed a number 1 with nothing but the internet,,, she needed no £12M investment by her local council.

Also, it's worth pointing out that many recordings of Shetland musicians are made outwith Shetland, principally because of a lack of facilities. For example, of recent releases, Brian Gear & Violet Tulloch; May, Mackie & Rhonda and Maggie & Brian's CDs was recorded in Orkney or on the mainland. I hope it's not these musicians that Auld Rasmie is being disparaging about in the Thomas Fraser thread for aspiring towards better sound quality or making use of Mareel's facilities in future.

I have never said a word against any of those artists. Indeed, I think those artists don't need a £12M white elephant, they have talent.

Perhaps you could tell us how much the recording studio in Orkney cost to set up? I'll bet it wasn't £12M.

 

I'm by no means saying that good quality recordings can't be made with modest equipment, but to state that an acoustically treated work space equipped for a variety of modern sound, multimedia production and education uses, and available to the whole community, should be 'cancelled' because people have previously used a reel to reel to record songs in their house is, I humbly suggest, missing the point.

 

And I'm not saying that Shetland artists shouldn't have a facility with good equipment. But a decent recording studio is a totally different thing from a venue which is going to cripple the island's economy for years to come.

When the SIC are yet again going to raise the subject of closing schools, which the communities need. How can they justify spending so much, and it's more the running costs than the capital amount which worries me, on a facility which,,,,,

well I can't finish that sentence without possibly inferring that education is, or has been, of little priority to those who,,,

oops, can't say that either,,,,

Maybe, you'll just miss that point.

[Ichorus]

Agreed. The bigger the band the bigger the problems, but.. KT Tunstall managed a number 1 with nothing but the internet,,, she needed no £12M investment by her local council.

 

No, she just needed Jools holland and Pop idol in America

Im also guessing she had the facilities available to her, if she chose not to use it then thats her choice.

 

Mareel is going to be great for all that it will offer.

People are passionate about music and films in Shetland.

This is going to be one of the best things Shetland has.

If its up to the standards of what the museum is.

My my the amount of people that doubted that.

I do believe they want some gravy with their words.

[JustMe]

Auld Rasmie wrote

I have never said a word against any of those artists. Indeed, I think those artists don't need a £12M white elephant, they have talent.

Perhaps you could tell us how much the recording studio in Orkney cost to set up? I'll bet it wasn't £12M.

 

Do not recall any expenditure on white elephants. Maybe you are thinking of a Norwegian circus. And expenditure on an Orkney studio is really irrelevant to the cost of Mareel since that is a cinema and music venue which will benefit the people of Shetland. Not just musicians but cinema audiences and those who want somewhere pleasant to listen to music. Perhaps other uses yet to be considered will increase the value of Mareel to Shetland.

[Guest Anonymous]

Why do people keep bringing the cinema thing into the equation?

People weren't interested enough in films in the past to sustain a cinema. Why should they suddenly change???

[JAStewart]

Because many people didn't like the garrison: seats, times, facilities etc.

 

Also, Squash wasn't as popular as it is now with the new modern facilities, why is this different?

[Guest Anonymous]

Because many people didn't like the garrison: seats, times, facilities etc.

 

Also, Squash wasn't as popular as it is now with the new modern facilities, why is this different?

 

Seats?? -OK, maybe fleas

Times?? - Cinemas all tend to show films at similar times. What do you mean?

Facilities?? - Do you mean the bar? Best not to mention that as a reason for needing a cinema.

 

Squash was always popular but, if I recall, the facility at Islesburgh had a dry rot problem and a replacement was needed.

The previous cinema failed so there is no reason to expect a replacement will not fail.

I can see no reason to compare such facilities.

[Ghostrider]

The North Star seats left a bit to be desired too, but I don't think you could fault the times there, there was a film or two shown most days of the week, excluding Sunday maybe, best as I recall.

 

The facilities maybe weren't modern, or top quality, even for the 70's, but they were purpose built, and did the job okay. As I've said before, it only survived as long as it did due to its almost entire staff being part-time 14-16 yr olds for all but X rated films, who no doubt were only paid a small percentage an adult would have been for the same job.

 

There were no videos or DVDs back then, and the TV was one B&W channel with a frequently added "snowshower" effect....if you wanted to see a relative recent film, or a film in colour, it was the Star or nothing....If it didn't thrive with that kind of monopoly, I really can't see a cinema thriving in today's video/DVD/streaming world.

[JAStewart]

Times?? - Cinemas all tend to show films at similar times. What do you mean?

 

I think you are deliberately misunderstanding me.

 

The times didn't really work with the buses, there are only 4 days of films a month or something. As far as a cinema is concerned, its a joke.

[Guest Anonymous]

Times?? - Cinemas all tend to show films at similar times. What do you mean?

 

I think you are deliberately misunderstanding me.

 

The times didn't really work with the buses, there are only 4 days of films a month or something. As far as a cinema is concerned, its a joke.

 

Not deliberate, I just don't understand. Honest.

Maybe I'm thick.. (Don't answer that ).. But, given that the highest potential customer base for the cinema would be from Lerwick, I don't see what buses really have to do with it.

[JAStewart]

Well the majority of citizens in Shetland stay outwith Lerwick, and maybe the Lerwick-based turnout is only because of the said bus-to-film time problem. If it was easier to attend for those outwith Lerwick by bus, then perhaps the turnout of non-Lerwick based citizens would be far higher.

[dB]

You'd be surprised.

 

 

Surprise me.

[Ghostrider]

^^ I very much doubt very many folk would consider making a trip in to the toon for no other reason than to watch a film, not when you can rent said film on DVD and have it delivered to your door, to watch on your Home Cinema in near "real" cinema quality, for not much more than the cost of the bus fare, never mind the admission fee.

 

Its different for folk living in the toon, going to the cinema is no different than going to a shop to rent the DVD, it becomes an even toss between spend your money on admission fee or DVD rental, plus they're home again in minutes, not like the peasant wagon crew who have to bummel over the road for around an hour or more both before and after.

[Guest Anonymous]

Well the majority of citizens in Shetland stay outwith Lerwick, and maybe the Lerwick-based turnout is only because of the said bus-to-film time problem. If it was easier to attend for those outwith Lerwick by bus, then perhaps the turnout of non-Lerwick based citizens would be far higher.

Majority?

Perhaps the majority of the population, but not the majority of the potential cinema going public.

If we assume that Unst. Fetlar, Yell, Fair Isle, Foula, and Whalsay are non-starters in this majority equation, purely because of remoteness, then the figures start to turn a bit in favour of Lerwick being the main catchment area.

I agree that bus timetables are a problem for a lot of areas, but are the SIC going to add additional buses to the schedule just to cater for cinema goers?

More expense which the SIC can't afford.

 

Don't get me wrong, I like a good film. But absolutely never in a cinema. I'm one of these boring old farts who want to get the good of the film, without the cinema experience. I want to enjoy every litle second of the film, and hear every single sound effect. So I wait a few weeks, buy the DVD, bung on the headphones, and enjoy.

No bus fare, no cinema ticket, no popcorn, and no irritating noises from other viewers. And I've save the cost of the DVD. Plus I can watch it again and again for the cost of the DVD.

 

Now, there is no way on this earth that you're going to tell me that the majority of the Shetland film watching public think they'd rather leave the comfort of their armchair with some of the weather that's been lately, just to support a failed venture like Mareel.

 

Drop the cinema bit, stick with the music, and it may,, just may succeed.

 

EDIT: oops!! hadn't read Ghostriders post before replying, so sorry for repeating some of the obvious.

[tlady]

 

Drop the cinema bit, stick with the music, and it may,, just may succeed.

 

Careful "o grumpy one" you're starting to waver

[Muppet]

There are many ongoing issues to keep elected members busy, how can we ever hope for swift economical decision making when some of them cant grasp the simple notion of finishing one task and moving on.

 

If an old ass**le like me can deal with the fact that Mareel is happening, accept it, and move on, to the stage of supporting it. Then surely the councillors who were against it can have the same humility, and accept the inevitable.

It's happening.

We should all now support it.

It's a unique opportunity to promote the music of Shetland, provide facilities for the Shetland youth to express their creative nature, and for once a chance to prove that the SIC may have made a correct decision.

 

Mareel Is Happening, Support It !!

 

Is this the same Auld rasmie